What to teach and when: How important is topic order in introductory physics?

Abstract

Introductory physics courses are a fundamental offering in physics departments around the globe. Most often, introductory physics is offered as a two-semester sequence with basic mechanics being taught in the first semester and electricity and magnetism in the second. Introductory physics is required for students pursuing engineering and many other STEM disciplines. There are timeless questions that arise pertaining to these foundation courses in physics. These questions include: What topics should be taught? When should these topics be taught? This paper will address these questions and include a brief discussion on student learning in a second-semester algebra-based physics course. An additional question to be raised is: Does taking the introductory course sequence “out of order” have an impact on student learning in physics? Finally broader implications regarding the content and topic order in introductory physics will be explored. This exploration will also include implications for the larger STEM communities.